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With Thanks to Sue Pidford

Autograph Hunting

 

Of course, there are many mementoes of the Sir William Nottidge School around town... but, possibly, none quite like the collection of Sue Pidford in New Zealand. I'll let Sue explain

 

Sue's Collection 

  

Hi Dave, 

I keep wondering if there is an end to the hidden treasures I have squirrelled away! 

The selection of photos below come from my autograph book. It has the signatures of the teachers at Sir William Nottidge when I left in 1955 to go to Barton Court Technical High School in Canterbury. There is even a entry in French for the bilingual! 

  

   

  

 

 

 

 

I think the sausage dog was drawn by Mr Miles (the Tec. Drawing teacher) and was a much sought after autograph! 

I can remember the teachers as being...

 

Miss Pickard Gym 
Miss Caitland  Music 
Mr McKenna Science
Mr Nichols Geography?
Miss Aspden Homecraft
Mr Lamb Art
Mrs Ludlam Light Craft
Mr Wilkinson Gym? 

 

Sue Pidford
New Zealand

 

Sue makes reference to an entry in French. The words are explained by a non-Nottidge reader, Derek Whorlow...

 

 The French Connection!

  

I  am interested in the French entry in Sue's autogrpah book.

 


French extract from Sue's autograph book

 

It seems it must have been a major French legacy for us Poms as I learnt the full verse at high school about 5 years later in Reading. [That's Reading in Berkshire..... not Reading in Bed]. 

It's called "L'Homme sage qui suit un ane"  ("The Wise Man who Followed an Ass") and the words included....

 

"Si je suis que je suis, je ne suis pas que je suis... mais,
Si je suis que je suis, je ne suis pas que je suis..."

 

... meaning....

 

"If I am what I am, I am not what I follow.
If I am what I follow I am not what I am...."

 

It was followed by the admonition "Soyez Sage!" (Be Wise!). Please excuse lack of circumflexes in the French wording!

 

Derek Whorlow
Kings Langley
NSW
Australia
 

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